Link metallic belt



Aug. 2, 1955 DIXON 2,714,333

LINK METALLIC BELT Filed Feb. 14, 1952 /4 Figl- /z' INVENTOR. Fuul H- Dixn'n Y LINK METALLIC BELT Paul H. Dixon, Rockford, 111., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application February 14, 1952, Serial No. 271,564

4 Claims. (Cl. 8935) This invention relates to metallic links of the self-disintegrating type, and more particularly relates to a link metallic belt for use with ammunition in automatic cannons which offers greater belt pulls, superior flexibility and enhanced ease of storage.

It is according an object of the present invention to provide a link metallic belt of the self-disintegrating type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a link metallic belt which has increased tensile strength.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a link metallic belt for automatic weapons which has improved fanwise flexibility and which reduces the required stripping force.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a link metallic belt which eliminates the tendency for the links to separate.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a link metallic belt wherein each link is.composed of three formed parts which may be readily assembled in the manufacture thereof.

The specific nature of this invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will become obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows for purposes of illustration only one specific embodiment of the present invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of the assembled link with parts thereof broken away to illustrate the connection between the outer component and the inner component of the link;

Figure 2 is a top view of the assembled link of Figure 1 with parts thereof broken away to illustrate the connection between the outer component and the inner component of the link;

Figure 3 is a left side view of the outer component shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a right side view of the inner component shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the tab interconnecting the inner component and the outer component of the link.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various figures thereof, reference numeral 1 desig nates the inner component of the metallic link and reference numeral 2 the outer component thereof. Tab 3 is used to fasten the inner component 1 to the outer component 2 as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The inner component is made of two, spaced, substantially flat portions forming shell gripping surfaces 4 and 4 which are each provided with two lugs 5, 6 and 5', 6 designed to strengthen the assembled link belt against twist-out. The shell gripping surfaces 4 and 4 are bent upwardly on their inner sides at an angle of approximately 90 to form the vertical flanges 7 and 7. Two tongues 8 and 8' are projecting from vertical walls 7 and 7 and are bent toward each other so as to be substantially parallel to shell gripping surfaces 4 and 4'.

Two bridges 9 and 10 join the shell gripping surfaces States Patent if ice 4 and 4' at their extreme ends. Bridge 9 which is slightly curved outwardly of inner component 1 as viewed in Figure 2, is provided with two holes 11 and 11' which receive tab 3. Bridge 10 is slightly curved inwardly toward inner component 1 to accommodate the clinched ends of the tab of the adjoining outer component of the next link. In order to further decrease the stripping force required in connection with the metallic link belt of the present invention the round gripping portions 4 and 4' are relieved as at 12 and 12. Similarly flanges 7 and 7' are relieved as at 13, best shown in Figure l.

The outer component consists of two spaced, substantially semi-circular sections 14 and 14, each comprising at their inner-most portions flat surfaces 15 and 15'. Surfaces 15 and 15' are located and spaced with respect to flanges 7 and 7' of the inner component 1 of the next adjoining link in such a way as to clear the same and be located on the outside thereof, as best shown in Figure 4 wherein the outer component of the next link is indicated in dotted lines. However flanges 7 and 7 provide stops to prevent lateral movement and twist-out between the inner and outer components of adjoining links. Two corrugated portions 16 and 16 serve the twofold purpose of strengthening the outer component 2 and providing clearance therefor with respect to lugs 5 and 5'. The outermost portions 17 and 17 of outer component 2 may be made of suitable radial dimensions as dictated by the taper of the particular shell for which the link is designed. Bridge 18 which joins the two sections 14 and 14 of outer component 2 is provided with two holes 19 and 19' to receive tab 3. Bridge 18 which has slightly outwardly curved portions 20 and 20" at its upper and lower ends, has a substantially straight vertical surface 21 at its center portion, best illustrated in Figure 2, which decreases the flexibility between components without interference to fan-wise and helical flexibility thereof.

In order to assure free disintegration between the outer and inner components of next adjoining links, sections 22 and 22 of surfaces 15 and 15' deviate from the circular shape and instead are made straight. Surfaces 17 and 17 are relieved by radii 23 and 24 respectively to permit complete disintegration of the inner and outer components of adjoining links and to prevent scuffing. The bodies of the outer component 14 and 14' were further relieved by removal of some of the metal surfaces 15 and 15' and of some of the corrugated portions 16 and 16' as indicated by reference numerals 25 and 25, best shown in Figure 3.

The inner and outer components are connected by means of tab 3, which has an inner, flat surface 26 and two tongue portions 27 and 27 at right angle to surface 26. Flat surface 26 includes a blunt, conical projection 28 which serves as a precise bearing point for tab 3 on bridge 9 of inner component 1, which determines the fanwise flexibility of the link. The closed loop of tab 3 loosely encompasses the portion in bridge 9 formed between holes 11 and 11 of inner component 1. Tongue portions 27 and 27 of tab 3 pass through holes 19 and 19 of bridge 18 of outer component and are clinched on outer component 2 at its side away from inner component 1. By means of this particular connection between the inner and outer components of the link improved helical and fan-wise flexibility is obtained.

It is to be noted that lugs 5, 5, 6 and 6' clear the inner diameter of the corrugated portions 16 and 16' of outer component 2 except under severe twist conditions when the outer component would press on one of these lugs 5, 5', 6 or 6' which would consequently strengthen the link against twist-out until the round has been stripped.

Furthermore while the inner component, which grips the round snugly, governs walkout thereof and, to a large extent, the stripping force required, the tensile strength and folding characteristics of the linked belt are determined solely by the outer component.

While I have shown and described only one preferred embodiment of my invention it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

1. A link metallic belt of the self-disintegrating type composed of a plurality of individual metallic links, each link comprising a shaped inner component of approximately semicircular contour and having two spaced substantially flat shell gripping surfaces, at least one bridge member disposed to join said shell gripping surfaces, an outer component comprising two portions of approximately semi-circular contour having greater diametric dimension than said inner component, a bridge connecting the said outer component portions, and a tab member permanently joining the bridge members in substantial parallel alignment, the said tab member comprising a surface having a conical projection to engage the said inner component bridge member and tongue means extending tially semi-circular contour having greater diametric dimension than said inner component portions, a bridge member connecting the said spaced members, and a tab element permanently joining the said bridge members in substantial parallel alignment, the said tab member comprising a surface having a conical projection to engage the said inner component bridge member and tongue means extending to engage the said outer component bridge member, the said outer component surrounding the said inner component of the next adjacent link of said link belt in assembled condition.

3. A link metallic belt of the self-disintegrating type composed of a plurality of metallic links, each link comprising an inner component comprising two longitudinally spaced portions of substantially semi-circular contour, a bridge member joining said spaced portions in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, an outer component comprising two longitudinally spaced members of substantially semi-circular contour having greater diametric dimension than said inner component portions, a bridge member connecting the said spaced members and lying in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof and a tab element joining the said bridge members in parallel juxtapositioned relationship, said tab member comprising a surface having a conical projection to engage the said inner component bridge member and tongue means extending to engage the said outer component bridge member, the said outer component surrounding the said inner component of the next adjacent link of said link belt in assembled condition.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 including substantially flat shell gripping surfaces formed on the said spaced portions of the said inner component.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,345,340 Nowe Mar. 28, 1944 2,472,817 Gaidos June 14, 1949 2,475,380 Elder July 5, 1949 

